Integrated handheld data processing device having a sliding form factor

• US 7,187,363 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Lam, Lawrence, Nguyen, Huy P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beck; Alexander S.
• Application Number:
  US10/006,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20030103041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/173, 379/433.12, 379/447, 379/433.07, 455/575, 455/575.1, D14/138, 368/10, 361/681, 361/79, 361/680
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts

Abstract

A handheld data processing device having three functional components assembled in a sliding configuration. A processor module is mechanically coupled to two sliding covers. The processor module houses circuits for performing the functions of data processing and may also include a display and input/output functionality. The two sliding covers provide protection for the processor module and may include input/output transducers such as a keypad, speaker or microphone. Embodiments of the handheld data processing device include a handheld computer, wireless telephone and handheld video display. Used as a telephone, the sliders may house a speaker and a microphone.

Claims

1. A handheld data processing device comprising:

a display/processor module comprising a single piece display and a processor;

a first keypad slider comprising a keypad and a first transparent window, slidably coupled to said display/processor module; and

,

a second keypad slider comprising a keypad and a second transparent window, slidably coupled to said display/processor module, and wherein said first keypad slider and said second keypad slider substantially cover said display of said display/processor module and permit viewing a substantial portion of said display through said first transparent window and said second transparent window when they are in a closed position and wherein said processor adjusts the visible area of said display relative to the position of said first keypad slider and relative to the position of said second keypad slider.

2. The handheld data processor device of claim 1, further comprising a display orientation controller.

3. The handheld data processor device of claim 1, wherein said first keypad slider is electrically coupled to said display/processor module by a flexible ribbon connector.

4. The handheld data processor device of claim 1, wherein said first keypad slider is optically coupled to said display/processor module.

5. The handheld data processor device of claim 1, further comprising a detent mechanism for enabling repeatable and stable extension of the handheld data processing device.

6. The handheld data processor device of claim 1, wherein said first keypad slider includes a microphone.

7. The handheld data processor device of claim 6, further including a voice recognition processor.

8. The handheld data processor device of claim 1, wherein said first keypad slider includes a speaker.

9. The handheld data processor device of claim 8, wherein said second keypad slider includes a microphone.

10. The handheld data processor device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter.

11. The handheld data processor device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless receiver.

12. The handheld data processor device of claim 1, further comprising a line selection driver.

13. The handheld data processor device of claim 1, wherein said first keypad slider and said second keypad slider comprise a QWERTY keypad.

14. A wireless telephone comprising:

a microphone slider comprising a first transparent window;

a data processing and transceiver module;

a single piece display located on a front side of said data processing and transceiver module;

a speaker slider comprising a second transparent window, and wherein said microphone slider and said speaker slider substantially cover said display and permit viewing a substantial portion of said display through said first transparent window and said second transparent window when they are in a closed position and wherein the visible area of said display is adjusted relative to the position of said microphone slider and relative to the position of said speaker slider; and

a keypad integrated on a front side of said microphone slider and a microphone integrated on a back side of said microphone slider;

a keypad integrated on a front side of said speaker slider and a speaker integrated on a back side of said speaker slider.

15. The wireless telephone of claim 14, further comprising a detent mechanism for enabling repeatable and stable extension of the telephone.

16. A wireless telephone comprising:

a microphone slider;

a data processing and transceiver module; and

,

a speaker slider;

wherein one of said microphone slider and said speaker slider comprises a keypad, and wherein said microphone slider and speaker slider slide relative to said data processing and transceiver module and substantially cover a single piece display of said data processing and transceiver module when they are in a closed position and wherein the visible area of said display is adjusted relative to the position of said microphone slider and relative to the position of said speaker slider; and

a line selection driver.

17. A wireless telephone comprising:

a microphone slider comprising a first transparent window;

a data processing and transceiver module; and

,

a speaker slider comprising a second transparent window;

wherein one of said microphone slider and said speaker slider comprises a keypad, and wherein said microphone slider and speaker slider slide relative to said data processing and transceiver module and substantially cover and permit viewing a substantial portion of a single piece display of said data processing and transceiver module when they are in a closed position and wherein the visible area of said display is adjusted relative to the position of said microphone slider and relative to the position of said speaker slider; and

a voice recognition processor.

18. A handheld display device comprising:

a data processing unit comprising a processor, a single piece display and a wireless telephone transceiver unit;

a first sliding cover comprising a keypad and a first transparent window; and

,

a second sliding cover comprising a keypad and a second transparent window wherein said covers are operable to protect a display disposed on said data processing unit when closed and permit viewing a substantial portion of said display through said first transparent window and said second transparent window when said first sliding cover and said second sliding cover are closed and wherein the visible area of said display is adjusted relative to the position of said first sliding cover and relative to the position of said second sliding cover.

19. The handheld display device of claim 18, further comprising a display orientation controller, for displaying information on said display in a landscape orientation and in a portrait orientation.

20. The handheld display device of claim 18, wherein said first sliding cover is a keypad slider electronically coupled to said display module by a flexible ribbon connector.

21. The handheld display device of claim 18, wherein said first sliding cover is a keypad slider optically coupled to said display module.

22. The handheld display device of claim 18, further comprising a detent mechanism for enabling repeatable and stable extension of the display device.

23. The handheld display device of claim 18, wherein said first cover slider comprises a microphone.

24. The handheld display device of claim 18, wherein said first cover slider comprises a speaker.

25. The hand held display device of claim 24, wherein said second keypad slider comprises a microphone.

26. The handheld display device of claim 18, further comprising a wireless transmitter.

27. The handheld display device of claim 18, further comprising a wireless receiver.

28. The handheld display device of claim 18, further comprising a line selection driver.